Daniel Jones makes preseason debut: What to expect from Giants QB

Kevin Hickey

Daniel Jones makes preseason debut: What to expect from Giants QB image

New York Giants quarterback Daniel Jones is set to make his preseason debut Saturday afternoon against the Houston Texans.

After sitting out the preseason opener against the Detroit Lions following joint practices, this will be Jones' first taste of live action since tearing his ACL in November.

Jones hasn't had any limitations and has taken every first-team rep since the start of training camp, which is encouraging for his Week 1 status.

Head coach Brian Daboll told reporters the starters will play Saturday for the first time this preseason, though he didn't disclose how long they would be out there.

I'm ready to play as much as (Head Coach Brian Daboll) Dabs wants me to play," Jones told reporters this week. "So, I don't know. That's probably a better question for him and kind of how he's seeing the whole situation. But I'm ready to play and looking forward to getting out there."

In last year's second preseason game, Jones and the starters were on the field for 10 snaps. It just happened that it was the opening drive of the game, and they marched down the field 75 yards for a touchdown.

If something similar happens again, there's a good chance the starters are only on the field for one drive. If they go three-and-out, they will likely go out for another drive.

This also will be a vital time for Jones to test out his knee, something he said he feels confident in doing.

"Yeah, I don't think I'll be thinking about my knee much. I think I've tested it," Jones said. "I've tested it in practice, tested it in my rehab and workouts and feel like it's in a good place. So, yeah, I'm confident my knee will be ready to go. It won't be something I'm thinking about much."

It's vital for Jones to get work in with rookie star Malik Nabers, who returned to practice Thursday from an ankle injury he suffered earlier in the week. It's unclear if Nabers will play Saturday, but he looked sharp in his return.

The Giants and Texans are set to kickoff at 1:00 p.m. ET at NRG Stadium.

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Kevin Hickey

Kevin Hickey Photo

Hickey was previously the managing editor of USA Today's Colts Wire. His work is also featured as a fantasy football analyst for The Huddle. A career .232 hitter, he is an avid reader of Spider-Man comics, an admirer of the James Webb Space Telescope, and a keen enthusiast of Ma’s sauce. You can find him on Twitter/X @KevinHickey11